Surgical tourniquet.



w. LEVINE.

SURGICAL TOURNIQUET.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE Z7, ISI?- Puened J une 18, 1918.

WITNESSES.: @AM/MW iNvENToR myflllrrl Lax/'111e fz 7@ W 4U M M ATTO RN EYS l.sie

WLLM LEVINE, OIF PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY.

SURGCAL TOURNIQUET.

Princeton, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, have invented certain neu" and useful improvements in Surgical Tourniquets; and I do hereby declare the'follovv ing to be a full, clear, and exact description oi the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to inalce and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which forni a part of this specification.

The present invention relatesgenerally, to in iprovenients in surgical tourniquets; and the invention has reference, more par ticularly, to an improved constructimi of pneumatic tourniquet.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a very siniple and effective cnnstruction of tourniquet adapted to be very quickly and easily applied and manipulated, and which operates upon pneumatic principles, whereby air pressure may be applied to the person of the patient in proper location. to effectively close the desired arteries, and thereby stop the circulation of blood in the arm or legof the patient, as the case may demand.

The invention has 'for a further olject to provide an elastic hollow body `tor application upon the person oir' the patient, said body being provided with means for introducing-r air under pressure wit-hin said body, and having means 'lor controlling the pressure of the compressed air so as to direct the saine inwardly against the person et' the pa.- tient, and having additional vent or exhaust means for permitting the escape oit' the air troni said body when desired, together with. a suitable sluit-ofi device for normally closing said vent or exhaust means against the escape of the air therethrough.

Other objects of the present invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description or the present invention,

With the various objects of my present invention in view, the saine consists, primarily,

in the novel construction ot pneumatic tour-4 Riquet hereinafter set forth; and, the invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements and combinations ot' the various devices and parts, as Well as in the fie-tails of my present invention; li

Speei'cation of Letters Patent. i'aatmted Jun@ 15 19:18

Application filed .Tune 27, wi?.

ScIal No. 177,166.

of the eonstructionof the saine, all oit which will be more fully described. in det-eil in the' following' specification, and then finally ein bodied in the appended claims'.l

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which?- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the novel construction. oi pneumatic tourniquet, made according to and enibodying;r the principles Y. 2 a plan view of the saine; and Fig', 3 i detail vertical. longitudinal section of the squeeze bulb pump mechanism 'for introducing the air under pressure within the tourniquet bodv, said view being drawn on an enlarged scale. Fig. L a side. elevation'oi" a sligh tly modified i'orni oi: construction oi 1y novel pneumatic lzourniqiwt, the saine @till embody ing', lioivever, "he general priiuifiples present invent` in.

et said hollow body 2, so as to connnunicate Url.

ereivith, a tutelar extensii'in 3 adapted to provide an an' intake conduit. Secured tree end of said tubular extension 3 is secured l'to attach said squeeze-bulb -l operatively in oininiinication with said hollow-body tai'd valve case 5 is provided with an interior longitudinally extending tubular open ing or passa-ge '7 at the inner end of ivlleh is provided a suitable valve seat 8. Located Within said opening or passage 7 is a valveineinber 9 having normal engagement .vitii. said valve seat 8, and the sannebeing provided with an upwardly extending stein l0. Secured Within the upper end of said opening or passage T is a suitable sleeve or busliing 'il through which said stein l0 entends so to he guided thereb; A serine l are ranged between said sleeve or bushing 11 Said squeeze-bulb 4 is provided at its outer' end with a tubular tting 13 having a llongit'udinal air inlet passage 14 at the upper end of which is formed ,a valve seat 15.

Coperating with said valve seat15 is a ballvalve 16, the same being maintained in proper association with the Valve seat by means of a. guard cage 17. Said ball-valve 16 acts as a check-valve against the outward escape of air from the inlet passage 14 when' operating said squeeze-bulb. In operating the squeeze-bulb 4 to introduce air into the hollow body 2, the bulb 4 is squeezed or col lapsed which drives the air contained therein outward through the opening or passage 7 and tubular extension 3 into the interior of the hollow body 2, the air in its outward passage lifting the valve-member 9 to open said passage 7. The pressure ot the air against the ball-valve 16 forces the same to its seat thus closing the inlet passage 14 against the escape of air therethrough, and compelling the air to discharge only through the outlet passage 7. l'Vhen the squeezing pressure upon the bulb 4 is released, the tendency of the same is to resume normal v shape. In so doing a suction is created within the interior of the bulb v4. Since, however, the valve-member 9 is both closed by the spring 12 and the back pressure of the y air already introduced within the hollowbody 2, this suction can only exert its force upon the ball-valve 16, which lifts from the valve-seat 15 and this opens the passage 14 so that a new supply of air may rush into the interior ofthe bulb, ready to be forced on into the body 2, when the bulb 4 is again squeezed or collapsed. These operations are repeated until the required a'mount of air has been introduced and compressed within the hollow-body 2, as will readily be'understood. lVhile the squeezebulb construction of pumping device, thus above described, is a very convenient and well known device for the purpose in view, 'I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself entirely to its use in connection with my novel pneumatic tourniqueg since it will be quite apparent that there are many other forms and constructions of air pumping devices, which may be used with equal efficiency' in connection with my pneumatic tourniquet.

Also joined to one edge ot' said hollowbody, preferably in a location adjacent to said tubular extension 3, isfanother tubular extension 18, arranged so as to communicate with the interior of said hollow body 2, and adapted to provide an air exhaust or outlet passage leading therefrom. Preferably said tubular extension 18 is made of q y soft rubber, and arranged thereon isa closure member for normally closing the passage of said tubular extension against the escape of air therethrough from said hollow tubular extension 18 passes. Connected Ywith* v'l5 said arm 19 are bearing-lugs -21 which extend laterally past and. in straddling 'relai,"v

tion to the other spring arm 19'.. Journaled" in 'the free end ofy said bearing-lugs is ak clamp-jaw 22fwith which isconnected fax suitable operating lever 23. 'Whensaid le, ver 23 is properly manipulated it causes the y clamp jaw 22 to press inwardlyupon said spring-arm 19 forcing the same against the'l opposite spring-arm 19,' and thusicausiug the gripping lips 20 to grip betweenthem the body of said tubular extension 18 to re strict and collapse the same, and thereby close the passage thereof against the escape of air therethrough. When desired the lever 23 may be manipulated to swing said clamp-jaw away from the spring-arm 19',

thus permitting the same to separate from the spring arm 19, and thusca'using said gripping-lips 20 to move apart and out of gripping engagement with the tubular eX- tension 18 so that the latter may open and thus permit the air contained within, the

hollow body 2 to quickly escape, and thus causing the pneumatic tourniquet to collapse to its inoperative-condition, so that the same can be readily removed from the patient when desired.

- Connected with the outer surface of said hollow-body 2, and preferably forming an integral part thereof, Vis-an outwardl extending tongue or flap 24, the same eing provided adjacent to its free marginal edge 25, with a plurality of fastening devices 26.

The reference character 27 indicatesa tlexible binder which may be made of any-suitable non-elastic flexible material, such as cloth, leather, etc.; one end of said binder 27v vis provided adjacent to its lateral marginal` edge 28 with a plurality of female fastenin devices 29, adapted to be engaged Awith sai fastening devices 26 of said tongue or flap 24, for the purpose of securing one end of said binder 27 to said hollow-body 2.

In using the novel pneumatic tourniquet, constructed as above described, the said hollow-body 2 is slipped over the arm or leg ot the patient upon whom its use is desired. The binder 27 is secured by the fastening devices to the tongue or Hap 24, and then wound around the exterior surface of said hollow body 2 in embracing or encircling relation thereto, and the free end of said binder may be secured against unwrapping by means of a safety pin or other suitablefY side thereof, means for vnormally closingf' end of said binder to said flap.

'6. A pneumatic tourniquet comprisingan endless tubular elastic body, van air inlet -tube connected with. the marginal edge of said bodyv at -one side thereof, an air pumping device secured to the outer end of-said inlet tube, an air outlet tube connected with the marginal edgefbf said body at one side thereof, means forf normally closing said outlet tube against the escape of air therethrough, and means connected with said body adapted to prevent outward expansion thereof under internal air pressure.

7. A pneumatic tourniquet comprisingA an endless tubular elastic body, an air outlet tube connected with the vmarginal edge of said body at one' side thereof, an air pumpingl device secured to the outer end of said inlet tube, an air outlety tube connected with the marginal edge of said body at one said outlet tube against the escape 'of air' therethrough, and a fiexible binder member tube. connected WithV the marginal edge of said body at Vone Side thereof, 'an air pump ing device secured to the outer end of said inlet tube, an air outlet tubeeonneeted With the marginal edge ofsaid body 'at one side4 thereof, means 4for normally closing said outlet tube against the escape of air therebinder of non-elastic flexible material, and

means or'detachably seouringone end of said binder to said-flap.

In .testimony that I claim the invention set forth above Ihave'hereunto set my hand this 26th day of June, 1917.7"

4vviLLL/na LEVINE. Witnesses: Y

FREDK. C.- FRAENTZEL,

through, an exterior flap integrally connected with the outer surface of .said body, a 

